I haven't voted since the presidential election of 2004, and my reasoning is simple:  Most elections come down to voting for the least worst candidate.  I don't feel that the best way to choose a person who will make significantly important decisions that effect my life, my family, my country, and my planet is to vote for the least worst among the choices.  And that's what elections essentially are.  You vote for someone because it's your civic duty to vote.  It's your right; your privilege.  There was a time when people weren't allowed to vote in our country.  Therefore, we must vote.  Candidate A believes X and Y.  Candidate B believes Y and Z.  I'll vote for Candidate A because he believes in X, despite the fact that he also believes in Y.  Oh well.  At least I voted. 

It's been claimed that my product comparison matrix method of choosing which gadget to buy employs the same methodology of choosing the least worst.  The rationale says that if I wanted the best possible product, I would just buy the one with the most features and the highest price.  And so by buying anything other than that "best product", I'm essentially choosing the least worst.  Simple. 

However, I disagree with this.  The gadget with the best features isn't necessarily the best gadget.  It might not be what I'm looking for, and it might not be the right time.  It all comes down to not only the right array of features, but also what features are most important to me.  In the end, I make a decision because I want the capabilities provided by the new gadget, not because I feel compelled to buy something.  It's about choosing the best option (implying it is in fact an option), not the least worst. 

So until I find a political candidate that doesn't make me feel like I'm choosing him/her out of desperation, I probably won't vote.  Oh, and I live in New Jersey, so unless I vote for a Democrat, my vote doesn't count anyway. #politics